Risky Sexual Behavior among Patients in Turkey with Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, and Heroin Addiction

• Published in: Journal of sexual medicine 2011-08, Vol.8 (8), p.2284-2291
• Main Authors: Hariri, Aytul Gursu, Karadag, Figen, Gokalp, Peykan, Essizoglu, Altan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addiction; Adult; Bipolar Disorder; Bipolar Disorder - psychology; Data processing; Demography; Drug abuse; Female; Globus pallidus; Hepatitis B; Heroin; Heroin Addiction; Heroin Dependence - psychology; Herpes simplex; Hospitals; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infection; Inventories; Male; Mental disorders; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Neurological diseases; Risk-Taking; Schizophrenia; Sex; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexually Risky Behavior; Sexually Transmitted Infections; Treponema pallidum; Unprotected Sexual Intercourse; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1743-6095; 1743-6109
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02282.x

Risky sexual behavior associated with such sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as hepatitis B and C, herpes, Treponema pallidum, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is more frequent among psychiatric patients and parenteral drug abusers than the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate risky sexual behavior in psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia (SCH), bipolar disorder, and heroin addiction (HA), and to compare them with those observed in healthy controls. The study group (N = 485; 234 females and 251 males) consisted of patients that consecutively presented to Bakırkoy State and Training Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases in Istanbul and normal healthy controls. The chi‐squared test was used for comparisons between groups and categorical variables. One‐way analysis of variance (post‐hoc Bonferroni test) was used for demographic data. A 22‐item questionnaire for collecting demographic, illness history, and sexual activity data, and a structured 23‐item form for collecting data on risky sexually behavior were administered to the participants. In all, 10% of the participants had a positive history for STIs. The majority of risky sexual behaviors was observed among the HA patients. The frequency of being sexually assaulted and having homosexual acts among the SCH group were higher. None of the patients had a positive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test result. The frequency of positivity for hepatitis B and C markers was highest among the HA patients. The provision of information and training about all STIs and risky sexual behavior should become routine in the treatment of mentally ill patients, especially those that abuse drugs. Hariri AG, Karadag F, Gokalp P, and Essizoglu A. Risky sexual behavior among patients in Turkey with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and heroin addiction. J Sex Med 2011;8:2284–2291.